We propose to study the contribution of surfactant protein B (SP-B) gene locus polymorphism to the etrology of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), by identifying associations between genetic marker within this locus and RDS, its severity, or one of the risk factors for RDS. The specific hypothesis is that SP-B locus contain gene(s) that either affect the severity of RDS or individual predisposition to RDS, identify individual risk factors for RDS, or are linked to genes that have an impact on RDS.